How the Business Has Changed
In some ways, the dealer’s business is completely different; in others, it’s entirely the same. It’s all about the people who farm the land. More than 50 years ago, RDO Equipment Co. was strictly an “iron dealer” that helped growers to stay up and running with the equipment, parts, and service they required each season. The agricultural industry has grown leaps and bounds to use machine monitoring technology to help growers improve their yields while managing other factors like input costs or soil erosion.
RDO Equipment Co. and its team members have grown alongside technology to learn its capabilities and how they can be applied to discover insights into soil health, crop needs and better resource management.
Defining Moments in Equipment Sales & Service
The advancement of technology, which has revolutionized precision agriculture practices and the way farmers grow crops across the country, are two of the most significant defining moments when it comes to the business of equipment sales and service. And as farmers have adapted, so have those in the equipment, service and agricultural support business.
Here are a few moments where RDO Equipment Co. Team members have adapted the way we work.
- The Internet's Digital Revolution (1990s - Present). The Internet and digital technologies transformed how equipment sales and services operate. Online platforms and e-commerce allowed us to provide detailed product information and facilitate remote equipment monitoring and maintenance.
- Remote Monitoring (2010s - Present). Remote monitoring has enabled service providers to offer monitoring and planned maintenance of machines. Sensors and connectivity allow real-time data collection, reducing downtime and improving performance. RDO has grown with this technology through its Connected Support team, which uses machine health monitoring technology to help farmers stay up and running when it’s time to plant or harvest. Our team members at 75-plus locations across 9 states help farmers to manage their equipment and technology so they can focus on growing food.
- COVID-19 Pandemic (2020). The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated digital transformation, using online services and support to pre-plan equipment, parts or service needs. RDO Equipment Co. continues to grow to meet changing needs of farmers across many different regions, including the Midwest, Northwest, and Southwest.
Farm Equipment’s Impact
Farm Equipment Magazine has captured the stories and events that have changed the industry for more than half a century. Like Farm Equipment, RDO Equipment Co. began over 55 years ago when one farmer, Ron D. Offutt, followed his passion to impact the farming community through sharing knowledge, support and service. Farm Equipment also captures the stories created by farmers who grow and feed the world and those that support them.
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Check out other "A Look Back in Farm Equipment History" blogs
Industry commentary on “55 Years of Farm Equipment”
- The ‘5 Greatest Tech Advancements’ in My Career as a Dealer | Leo Johnson, Johnson Tractor
- The Impact of Consolidation & Technology on Agriculture Over Half a Century | Sam Christianson, Titan Machinery
- A Service Manager’s View on the Changing Times | Brent Bazin, Young's Equipment Inc.
- Reflections on Farm Equipment | George Russell, Machinery Advisors Consortium
- Farm Equipment Sales in the 1970s | Charlie Glass, FEMA Dealer Relations Commitee
- Digital Communications Changed the Course of OEMs Working With Dealers | Tom Taylor, retired farm equipment executive
- RDO Equipment’s Take on the Last 55 Years | Daryl Shelton, RDO Equipment
- Reflections from a North American, International & Company-Store Dealer Exec | Stacy Anthony, AgRevolution LLC
- A Lot of Change in Shortline Equipment | Hans Rasmussen, Summers Manufacturing
- Business Acumen, Technology Forever Changed Equipment Sales & Service | Brian R. Carpenter, Champlain Valley Equipment
- Not Your Grandfather’s Farm Equipment Dealership… | Josh Waggener, Hutson Inc
- Left Major OEM Career 55 Years Ago to Become Dealer-Principal | Paul Wallem, Retired International Harvester executive
- Titan Machinery Reflects on Significant Changes to Dealership Environment in 55 Years | David J. Meyer, Titan Machinery
- From 3 Stores Within 50 Miles to 25 Stores Across 8 States | Tom Rosztoczy, Stotz Equipment
- 45 Years of Observations on Ag Equipment Manufacturing & Distribution | Chuck Bellew, retired farm equipment executive
- Today’s Staff Has No Fear Approach to Risk, But It Still Exists | Jeff Morgan, H&R Agri-Power
- A Recent Retiree’s Perspective on Equipment Industry | Lars Paulsson, Laforge Systems
- 60 Years of Equipment Dealer Associations Consolidation Continues | Kim Rominger, NAEDA
- Vast Technology Changes Assisted Dealers’ Computerization | Ed Archambo, Basic Software Systems
- ‘I Didn’t Listen to My Uncle Roy’ | Jon Eis, Eis Implement Co.
- Farm Equipment Manufacturers and the Early 1980s Farm Crisis
- GMO, Autosteer Forever Changed Our Business | Tom Janson, Janson Equipment
- My 35 Years at RME, from Microfiche to Guidance | Jim Wood, Rocky Mountain Equipment
- Export Opportunities Changed Game for Canadian Shortline Manufacturer | Hal Carnago, Schulte Industries Ltd.
- 40 Years with Sunco, Hiniker, Ingersoll, Southern Marketing & Forges de Niaux | Larry Hansen, Forges de Niaux
- From Dreaming Farm Boy to Equipment Dealer | Tim Brannon, B&G Equipment
- Inaugural Cover Story Dealer, 20 Years Later | Ted Mallard, American Equipment Service Inc.
- Farm Equipment Tips the Hat to the Behind-the-Scenes Contribution of An Industry Exec | Patricia Collins, Equipment Manufacturers Distribution Association
